Go to the Recipe: Sous Vide Carrots
Please keep making these solid and simple techniques videos, and more folks become confident with sous vide and controlled temp cooking. Really smart and practical information.
Where can I obtain nasturtiums?
I have a poly science circulator, but it won't hold temps that high. I've filled the tub with boiling water and tried to cover it the best I can but the temp will always drop down to the low 80's. Is there any tips you have to keep the water temp up??I tried this recipe at 80°C for 25-30 minutes and although the carrots were flexible, they still had a lot of tough crunch left, not a nice tender bite to the texture.
- originally posted by benjamin iley
80C won't really get the job done. What kind of PolyScience circulator do you own? A Creative series or a ChefsSeries?
I'm using the professional classic model. It's a few years old and has never really been run at temps up to or over 70°C. But even still I expected it to perform better than this!!
On the Professional classic, I believe there is a little dial that you need to turn with a small screwdriver (or your fingernail) that it the maximum temperature limiter. If it's been turned down to 70 °C, the device won't be able to climb above that temperature. I've seen this before. That unit should have no problem reaching 99 °C / 210 °F
Why is there a specific cooking time range and checking for doneness in this recipe? For meats and eggs it seems you can get the food to temperature and then keep it there practically indefinitely. Where could I learn more about why this should be different for carrots?
I've run into the same problem. You can easily order the seeds online, just Google 'tropaeolum majus', I think those are the ones you want (anyone more knowledgable please correct me if I'm wrong). you'd have to grow them yourself, and I'm not sure you can get them to indoors.
So could you make a few batches in advance, freeze them and then bring them up to temp at 130F together with your previously cooked and frozen meat and who knows what else?
Bring the circulator up to temp, dump in meat and veg to reheat, bring kids to soccer/basketball/drama/chess/whatnot, come home, whip up a salad, finish meat and veg and eat?
If doing this with turnips, would you dice first or cook whole?
I hit 194F quickly with my new Sansaire. Just bought the unit, carrots and salmon filets are first 2 attempts. $199 street price. So far, so good.
Will I improve the carrot puree with sous vide preparation? Thank you!
It will yield a brighter flavored and colored puree. I view these as improvements for sure.
Cook first then cut after.
Yes you can do this, however the texture will likely change from the freezing process. No more than with other techniques, just be aware that it will happen.
You can't leave meat and egg in "indefinitely" however at typical temperatures they are a little more forgiving. With the carrots you are cooking at a much higher temperature, which you need to do to break down the pectic substances in plants. This also increases the chances of overcooking thus you must keep an eye on them.
I have tried a few carrot preparations in sous vide bags and for some reason when they hear up it looses its vacuum... Than it takes hours to cook. I'm using a food saver vacuum sealer and anova circulator
If you were planning on making this as a side dish to say a steak or whatever, that you also plan on cooking sous vide, would you recommend cooking the carrots ahead of time, since the circulator would be in use with your protein? Then possibly refrigerate the carrots and finish in the hot pan as you suggest so the timing of finishing all your components will be in line? Or would you need to drop them in the water bath as the steaks are finishing to bring them up to heat again (if simply going from sous vide carrots>refrigerator>hot pan isn't sufficient)? Sorry, that was wordy but hopefully my question is clear. Planning on putting my Anova to use for the first time this weekend so any input would be greatly appreciated!
Consider that the steak will take hours to cook Sous Vide and the carrots but 15 or 20 min. Coupled with the fact that you will want to sear the steaks. Personally I would pull the steaks and hold them in a warm water bath that is slightly less than the cooking temp then get the skillets ready for that last push to sear & caramelize things.
That's not normal and makes for wattery stuff. Change bag brands and check to see if the bags are sealing correctly. You can always double seal them but I use the Food Saver and never have the problem. I also use the Zip Lock brand Sous Vide bags with the little hand pump for many preparations. I wash and reuse them but then you do get into the occasional failed seal.
Depending on size, I would peel large ones and cut them into even sized strips as best you can with a turnip. Moreso for larger root veggies (I do this with sweep potatoes often). A whole large turnip will take longer to cook. Cutting into uniform sized pieces increases the surface area for better seasoning adhesion and will allow them to cook through in the 20 to 30 minute time-frame. Cooking them whole could take hours and you would still be uncertain inf the core temperature was where you want it. If, however, you can find baby turnips the size of carrots, then no reason to deviate from the plan.
I agree with Ben. One nice thing about Sous Vide is size doesn't matter (at least with a cooking vessle). I recently cooked a dozen stuffed port chops in a cooler for a large party (just remember if you have a large surface area, cover it to prevent too much heat escape). No compelling reason to do batches and as soon as you freeze them the ice crystals will break down the cellular structure and you'll lose some of the beauty of Sous Vide cooking.
I would just cook the carrots before hand, reserve in steak temperature water
Very nice presentation - Chefsteps the best !! Big fan of simple - this works without the fat or oil - not necessary and adds calories for of us older guys who gain weight.. Also high vacuum sealed bags does make a difference a la Thomas Keller - it is worth every dollar to get a chamber vacuum bagger, sealed and tight, much better over open bags and no vacuum.
Can cook these in advance at 185F for 45mins to 1 hour - melt in your mouth, but good news can do 6-8 bags and keep in refrigerator for weeks re-heat before serving - at 185F nothing is really alive. Cooked carrots have a pH of 5.5 so if plan to keep longer than 2-3 weeks need to add bit of lemon juice to sealed bag get below pH 4.7 -- eliminates C. Bot risk - not really much risk anyway as long as refrigerated near 38F. Lemon does not change taste much and extends storage period.
I just want to add my two cents: Cook purple carrots and Vitelotte potatos separated in SV for 30,. blend result adding egg and flour and build Beatiful purple gnoccis...
Had friends over for dinner. Beef tenderloin, carrots and asparagus atop a sweet potato puree with a beef demi-glace drizzle. Beef and veggies both prepared sous vide with our new Joule. Everything was absolutely perfect. Our friends who do not even like carrots cleaned their plates and one went back for seconds. Both vegetables we did ahead. We did the carrots as directed for 20 minutes and then just removed and set bag aside until steaks were done. Then as we were all sitting having some cocktails until everyone was ready to eat, we put everything together in the same water and held it all with the steaks (133.8 deg). Our friends will be purchasing their own Joule very soon. Thank you ChefSteps for all of this great information and a wonderful new tool in our cooking arsenal. Just sad that no one took a pic
Just using my Joule for first time. Carrots in vacuum bag. I bought a Waring commercial hand held pistol sealer that uses reusable dishwasher safe bags. Perfection. Cannot wait to try a steak.
how do you preserve the colour of sous vide carrots (or any vegetables for that matter). I find that longer cooking times or even reheating the bags in lower (serving) temp water adds to colour loss
Hey guys I use butter and star anise in the vac bags + a little salt and pepper too - these are my favourite side dish now!
please help out the new chefs and give amounts of thyme and/or coriander in both dried version, and fresh.
This has become one of my wife’s favorites. No salt, just olive oil and they are the perfect side dish with risotto.
